CV template/how to lay out a CV?

toby_puppy

Could anyone advise of a website where I can get a CV template from?
Or alternatively just list the order in which one should be written out - it's 20 years since I last did one and my mind has gone blank. :eek:
thanks

Oldernotwiser

If you haven't done a CV for 20 years then your ideas on this will be very out of date. If you Google "skills based CV" you can find ideas on more up to date CVs than the traditional chronological one which is rarely appropriate these days.

Also, the idea of having just one bog standard CV are long gone and they should be tailored to the individual jobs or work areas you're applying for.

pineapple

I use a traditional format but it's kept brief and jazzed up with coloured text boxes. No more than 3 sides max. Ideally half this! Because I am so long in the tooth, I keep mine to the last 10 years.But I have a full one available for personal reference.
It might just be the area I work in, but hardly anyone seems to want CVs. Only one out of about 20 jobs applied for in the past few months wanted a CV. That said, they are an excellent crib for when it comes to completing the flippin application forms.
I have mine in this order:
Brief personal details
Experience and skills (bullet points)
Education and training
Employment record (most recent first)
I adjust the emphasis depending on the job. Also, if it is going to be floating round the net, I do not give full name, address, or landline. But I include a bit about what I am looking for.

I've registered with a few agencies in my time and I've taken note of what they've done when they've re-hashed my CV. The main thing is to give employers a sense of who you are, experience/skills and educational level.

elsietanner71

Always include a personal statement directly under your personal details. You can find more info and some sample CVs on these websites:

http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/writecv/cvadvice.htm

http://www.bradleycvs.co.uk/cvservice/examcv.htm

You can get feedback on your CV when you have written it by emailing it to the Careers Advice Service: [EMAIL="guidance@careers-advice.org"]guidance@careers-advice.org[/EMAIL] This service is entirely free (as they are government funded) but is email and telephone based.

If you prefer, you could contact your local Nextstep to see if they can help you in person. Find out more about this organisation here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/DG_071762

Good luck with the job hunt

desperado2

pineapple wrote: »

I use a traditional format but it's kept brief and jazzed up with coloured text boxes.

Ewww NO NO NO!!

sorry! - but leave everything plain and simple unless the job you are going for is art/design related.!! I was in recruitment for 6 years and believe me, employers want bog standard basic easy to read no frills CV's

pineapple wrote: »

No more than 3 sides max. Ideally half this! Because I am so long in the tooth, I keep mine to the last 10 years.But I have a full one available for personal reference.
It might just be the area I work in, but hardly anyone seems to want CVs. Only one out of about 20 jobs applied for in the past few months wanted a CV. That said, they are an excellent crib for when it comes to completing the flippin application forms.
I have mine in this order:
Brief personal details
Experience and skills (bullet points)
Education and training
Employment record (most recent first)
I adjust the emphasis depending on the job. Also, if it is going to be floating round the net, I do not give full name, address, or landline. But I include a bit about what I am looking for.

I've registered with a few agencies in my time and I've taken note of what they've done when they've re-hashed my CV. The main thing is to give employers a sense of who you are, experience/skills and educational level.

When you are older (like me!) you tend to end up with a lot of work history and no room to put it down,, but do battle on to get it to 2 sides if you can.

The main reason I say this is that most empoyers at present probably get dozens if not hundreds of applications and they will skim through fairly quickly.. make it too long and they lose interest and focus.

On the front I would go with Personal data (name address email phone date of birth)
Education Summary - list the highest grade achieved rather than all education unless a particular qualification is advantageous

Work related training/qualifications - and personal development stuff if you dont have much else to put.. employers dont always expect older candidates to have A levels and Degrees, but showing you did a course at night classes shows willingness to learn new skills.

That lot should have done 50-60% of page one..

yse the remaining to summarise (bullet point) your skills your areas of business expertise.. always list your most current skills and recent work enviornments first, its the ones they are most likely to hire on.. unless there is a pressing need to present yourself in a different way.

Page two most recent job first.. assuming this was "proper" long term employment, spend up to half a page on this, and then do the previous one.. if that covers more than 5 - 10 years, block and bullet the rest - "6 years woking as retail assistant with high street stores" "4 years working as teaching assistant with 4 - 8 yr olds" is really enough unless you are trying to get back in to something you did 15 years ago.

If you were skilled, and are now looking for more junior roles as a means to get back in to work, or because you want a local job to home for example dumb down your CV a bit.

If you look like Mr/s Hot Shot applying for "customer services advisor" the line manager may well be far younger than you.. you know they will get a bargain hiring you with your life of experience unflappable in crisis, mature and reliable... they are 23, think your older than their 45yr old grandma and sh*t scared you will show them up or take their job..

Oh, and these days it is perfectly acceptable in most cases to present life skills as transferable skills.. a job needs an unflappable manager for a busy office?? not so different to a busy parent raising 4 kids and organising a home..

desperado2

NB I do agree with pineapple that you should keep online CV's depersonalised and NEVER put your NI number on them..